Have you heard about Snapchat's new glasses? Will they flop as terribly as Google Glass did in 2012, or will they usher in the new era of smart vision technology? And what about Automated Marketing and Virtual Reality? Are you missing out on some groundbreaking ways to improve your professional and personal life?

Growth Tools

From Twitter to Periscope, from Facebook Live to Snapchat Stories, social media LOVES live events.

And why shouldn't they? Live events offer a unique opportunity to get like minded enthusiasts in the same place to share in visceral experience.

This post by Katherine Jacoby (@KJacoby26) provides 6 solid ways to build connections with fans of your brand during live events. Read it and consider using these options at your brand's next function! The opportunities offered are too good to ignore. 🌟

Instagram

While it might seem like only a small improvement, a new update just made posting content to Instagram a whole lot easier.

The new feature now allows Instagram users to save drafts within the platform, and as you might have guessed, the marketing and growth hacking implications. Now that drafts are savable, users can store fully prepped posts before publishing them later.

Read this article by Sarah Perez (@sarahintampa), to find out how the new feature works and how your brand can benefit from it.

Snapchat

After weeks of new cycles dominated by Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google, it seems Snapchat has some big news of its own.

The social networking site, newly rebranded as "Snap Inc." is freeing itself from its reliance on smartphones for the use of its app. Snap Inc.'s new product "Spectacles" will now allow users to tap a button on the hinge of these sunglasses and record up to 10 seconds of video from a first person perspective.

According to this article by Seth Stevenson (@stevensonseth), the video sunglasses will be available this fall, and the possibilities they present seem endless. Read this article to learn all about how Snap Inc. is once again changing everything, or log on to The Wall Street Journal for the full length story and interview with Snap Inc. CEO, Evan Speigel.

Twitter

If your business has a twitter handle, then you know how important it is for sustaining competent customer service. Twitter is and wants to continue to be where brands and consumers connect.

According to this article by Andrew Hutchinson (@adhutchinson), "the openness of Twitter adds an amount of implied pressure to the brand you’re communicating with to respond, or risk the judgment of onlookers." It is this element of social pressure that makes Twitter such a desirable communication platform for customers.

Read this post to learn about the findings of Twitter's new study and how they reinforce the company's thriving existence as a link between customer and business.

LinkedIn

With an article detailing the good uses of automated marketing already in this issue of Growth Weekly, we now encourage you to consider bad uses as well. In detailing some less than desirable marketing ploys widely used on LinkedIn, this post by Michael Pici (@MichaelPici), does just that.

There are countless ways businesses can find and connect with customers, but some are far more effective than others. According to Michael, "I see far too many salespeople applying outdated and selfish tactics to LinkedIn and Twitter and calling it 'social selling.'" Read on for examples of marketing automations that could be alienating you from customers instead of endearing you to them.

Youtube

With a slogan like "Broadcast Yourself," YouTube certainly has potential to be an entrepreneur's paradise. But successfully guiding your brand through the tight competition on YouTube's platform demands certain characteristics.

In this informative article by Nina Zipkin (@NinaZipkin), she examines the methods and mindsets of some of YouTube's biggest stars. Each had to start somewhere, and the lessons they learned on their way up have helped sustain massive followings that continue to grow today. Read this article for real advice on how to build your brand on YouTube with consistency and quality content.

Startup of the Week

For a startup, launching a website can so easily devolve into chaos. With so much to consider and keep track of, the process can overwhelm even the most savvy of us.

Thankfully, Neil Patel (@neilpatel) has published another thoroughly researched article aimed at organizing a site launch into an orderly and intuitive undertaking. In his post, Neil shares valuable personal experiences and follows them up with statistical analyses that all websites could benefit from. Read it to consider your website's layout, compatibility, and functionality from a new and informed perspective.

Virtual Reality

If you're anything like us at CoEfficient Labs, then you have been waiting for virtual reality to steal the show since you were a little kid. Now, with sophisticated VR products like Oculus Rift continuing to accelerate toward main stream markets, it's only a matter of time before the ad industry jumps into the game with both feet.

In this post, Sophie Loras (@sophie_clickz) examines the impact that VR will have on the industry. In an interview with HTC China Regional President of Vive, Alvin Wang Graylin, Sophie outlines the future metrics that ad influence will be structured around, when we can expect these changes, and the future devices that will allow it all to happen. Read this post to ponder the changes ahead.

E-Commerce

If your business involves eCommerce, then chances are you know a thing or two about a virtual shopping cart. But do you have a strategy for all the virtual shopping carts inevitably abandoned by your potential customers for one reason or another? This post by Liesha Petrovich (@lieshapetrovich) thinks you should.

According to Lisa's article, 69% of consumers abandon their online shopping carts. Read it to develop a solid plan to reengage those potential sales and find companies who specialize in doing just that. Learn why marketing automation is a timesaving and efficient means to boost your company's sales.

Growth Hacking Op-Ed

In our business, change is the only constant. That's why growth hacking demands a steady consideration of the future.

And the 10 trends examined in this post by Jeff Bullas (@jeffbullas) are a great resource for anticipating just what the future holds. Not only does Jeff note the big events making waves, but he analyzes them with a critical eye, noting the implications and opportunities.

The marketing game demands the ability to adapt quickly and accurately, use this article to stay ready.